It’s one of those military conflicts many of us know from the Old English poem of the same name. Sky HISTORY examines what the poem actually tells us about the battle – and where it may have taken liberties. Yes, we know that the Battle of Maldon did happen, as the poem is far from our only source. We know from other retellings of the Battle of Maldon that the Vikings defeated their Anglo-Saxon adversaries there, with Byrhtnoth himself among the fatalities. What the Battle of Maldon poem ultimately demonstrates is that historical truth and literary purpose are rarely the same thing – but that doesn't make either less valuable.